To The Moon & Back
by Normal-is-Overratedx
Summary: -It was dark as they walked down the alleyway. So dark, that her little green eyes widened as she held on tighter to her mother's hand. Her little legs stumbled slightly in her footy pajamas as her mother struggled to move them faster.-On her way back from a crime scene, Maura finds something hidden in the garbage. Rated T for now
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** _The story I had original planned to ONLY really work on until I decided I couldn't not write "Hope For The Hopeless" either. xD Prayer circle I can write these together. I have so much planned for this story and I hope I can get it all out the way I want. I've had it planned since like Chapter 10 of "Hear Me" and then it changed and then it changed again to what I have planned now. So I dedicate this first chapter to Mira-because she got on my ass about posting this. I'd also like to thank my lovely girlfriend for helping me reign in all my ideas and then Caro & Mira for being my sounding board with this story. Thank you all of you. You're the best. Now, enjoy the story. _

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing but Callie and the unnamed baby.

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**To The Moon and Back**

**Chapter One**

It was dark as they walked down the alleyway. So dark, that her little green eyes widened as she held on tighter to her mother's hand. Her little legs stumbled slightly in her footy pajamas as her mother struggled to move them faster.

"Mommy, wheres we goin'?" She asked in a quiet tone. She was tired and her feet were cold on the dirty concrete. She knew it had to be late because the sun wasn't there to say hello.

Her mother finally stopped and leaned against the nearest brick wall, breathing heavy. "Hush, baby." She replied back, holding the bundle in her free arm, closer to her chest and not even glancing down at her daughter.

The little girl watched as her mother bit her lip and finally knelt down to face her. "Listen to me, sweet girl," She placed her free hand on the little girl's cheek and she could tell her mommy was trying not to cry. "I need you to stay here. I won't let him hurt you anymore. Someone will come and take-take you, take care of you and your brother." Her mother said in a trembling voice. She gently nudged her daughter into a corner on top of a cardboard box.

"You keep your brother safe until then, okay?" The little girl's face creased and she looked as though she was going to cry but she automatically held out her arms instead. Tears sprang into her mother's eyes as she gently placed the little baby in her 4 year olds' arms. He was tiny and new, barely a day old.

The 4 year old held her sleeping baby brother close to her chest and sat down on the cardboard box. "Who's gonna get us, mommy?" She asked quietly, lip trembling.

"Someone good." Her mother murmured back. "Someone who will love you."

"To the moon and back?"

Her mother tried to laugh but it came out as a sob. "More than that." She whispered through her tears. "You'll know them when you see them. You'll feel it in your heart." The woman gently brushed away a stray tear from her daughter's cheek.

"No more hurtings? That why you letting us go?"

"No more hurt. Be good, baby. I love you, I love you so much and don't ever forget that." The woman leaned forward and pressed a long kiss to her daughter's forehead.

The little girl leaned into her touch and sniffled. "Love you too, mommy. I'll be good. Promise."

"I-I've gotta go. They'll find you." The little girl's mother staggered to her feet and hurried back the way she came, her heart breaking with every step away.

Back in the corner, the little girl held on to her little brother and shivered. "Don't worry, baby brover. I'll p'tect you." She whispered quietly.

She didn't sleep, watched as the sun kissed her good morning and the moon said it's goodbye. But she was used to that. There were a lot of nights she didn't sleep, busy hiding from him. She had learned not to trust anything or anyone because even when they acted nice it was always a trick; just a trick to get her to come out. But she never cried. That only made it worse.

Just as the sun had fully risen the little girl's brother started to cry, hungry for his mother's milk. "Hush brover, shhh." The little girl rocked him gently, her green eyes alert and watching for signs of danger.

She managed to get him to calm down but the sound of sirens wailing startled him and he began to cry once more.

It was 15 minutes before she finally got him to calm down into quiet whimpers, still not happy. But the sound of clicking heels against concrete made her heart rate quicken. She held her brother closer and sunk further behind a few bags of garbage, trying to be quiet.

From her hiding place she could see a pretty woman peering down the alleyway curiously. She was in a light blue dress and a jacket and heels. Her hazel eyes looked concerned. "Hello?" She called gently. And just at that moment, her brother decided to start crying again.

"Hush brover, please." The little girl said anxiously, but it was too late, the woman hurried down the alleyway and moved the garbage bag and as she spotted her, a look of worry crossed her face.

"Oh!" She gasped as she looked down at the little girl and the fussy baby in her arms. "Oh, sweetheart are you okay? Where's your mommy?" She knelt down in front of the 4 year old.

The little girl's green eyes gave her a once over and she held her brother closer. "What's your name?" She asked boldly, though her heart was trembling in her chest.

The woman's brows creased and she looked to be contemplating her answer before she finally spoke. "I—My name is Dr. Isles—Maura." She replied awkwardly.

And then the little girl knew. She stood up slowly in her dirty footy pajamas and handed her crying little brother to Maura and looked up at her. "You help us? Mommy is gone."

Maura looked down at the tiny newborn fussing in her arms and back to the little girl. She had dirt smudges on the side of her cheeks and her golden hair was greasy. She was shivering and her little lips were purple. "Come with me, sweetie." She said softly as she stood up and held out her hand.

Cautiously, the little girl placed her tiny hand in Maura's and they walked out of the alleyway and down a few blocks to a Blue Prius. Maura let go of the little girl's hand and opened the back door for her and nudged her gently in. She then sat in the driver's side, still holding the fussing baby in her arms and turned on the car and then immediately, the heat.

The little girl climbed towards the front. "Doctor Moowa, I fink brover is hungry. I promised I would take care a him."

Maura held the baby closer to her and looked back at the 4 year old. "I'm sure he's very hungry and cold. What's your name, sweetie?" She asked as she grabbed her phone from its charger with her free hand.

"Callie." She stated, although it came out as 'Cawee'.

Smiling, Maura looked down at the infant. "And what about your brother, what's his name?"

Callie frowned and leaned forward to lightly trace her tiny fingers over his forehead, making the fussing baby calm down. "He's bwand new," She said quietly, her eyes finally meeting Maura's after a long moment. "No name." She clarified.

Maura was silent for a moment, her heart pounding with anxiety. "How brand new, Callie? Was he born in a hospital?" The ME tried to prod gently, her fingers hovering over the speed dial for Jane.

"He wasn't borned in a ho'pital, he was borned at home…" Callie seemed to concentrate now as she tried to answer the next question. "The last moon. He was borned two moons when the sun was up."

Maura worked hard to understand the child's words. "He was born the night before?" She asked after a moment.

Callie looked thoughtful for a moment before she nodded and pushed a stringy blonde hair away from her face.

Reaching for her phone with her free hand, Maura pressed the speed dial one.

Jane answered on the third ring. "Hey, Maur. What's up? I thought you had a crime scene to go to?"

For a moment, Maura wasn't sure how to even begin to explain but then suddenly it was all spilling out of her like a waterfall. "Jane, I found a little girl and a baby in the alley way and I just—would you please come?" She asked in an anxious voice.

"What? What do you mean you found—I mean, yeah I'll—I'll be there as fast as I can. Text me the address."

"I'll explain more when you get here. Call an ambulance, I—I haven't called one. I'm just I—"

Jane cut her off. "I know, sweetie. I'll be there. Love you."

When Maura hung up with Jane, she quickly texted her girlfriend the address while trying to sooth the fussy infant in her arms.

"What's gonna happen to us Doctor Moowa?" Callie asked from the backseat. Maura glanced back to see that she was practically curled up, little arms wrapped around her knees and eyes tired but frightened.

Maura tried to give the child a reassuring smile. "You both need to see a doctor. My uh—friend is on the way and she called an ambulance to take you and your brother to the hospital." She explained.

Callie looked nervous, trying to hide further into herself. "B-but yous a doctor. P-please don't leave us." Her eyes were brimming with tears but she refused to let them fall. Crying made things worse. Maybe she had been wrong to trust this woman.

Maura's heart felt as though it was being slowly crushed. The look of fear on Callie's face made her automatically promise not to leave the child. "I won't, sweetheart. But your brother needs special care that I can't give him and so do you. I'm not the right kind of doctor." She tried to explain softly. "I'll stay with you." It was a promise she wasn't sure she could keep but she would damn near do her best.

Callie merely nodded slowly, still looking scared.

It didn't help that moments later a siren could be heard, no doubt the EMS that Jane had called. Callie hugged herself tighter as her head jerked all around, looking like a scared animal.

There was a tapping on the window and Maura turned to see Jane. The ME felt a wave of relief wash over her as she nodded, letting her girlfriend know the door was open.

Jane opened the door and peered down at Maura with the now fussing infant in her arms and then in the back at the scared little girl. She looked back at Maura and placed a hand on the other woman's shoulder. "You okay?"

"Not really," Maura murmured quietly, shaking her head.

Offering a small smile, Jane squeezed Maura's shoulder gently and glanced at the little girl. "Hi there, I'm Jane." She said in a soft voice.

Callie didn't say anything in return, just continued to stare.

A few minutes later, two EMS guys were behind Jane with a stretcher. The detective moved out of their way and watched as her girlfriend gently handed over the baby and relayed information. "He'll probably need to be in an incubator—he wasn't born in a sterile environment and he's been out in the cold all night." She said quickly, twisting one of the rings around her finger.

Both of the men nodded, one working to wrap the baby up in something warmer and clean while the other moved to open the back door but before he could even ask the little girl anything, she backed away to the other side of the door, screaming. "DON'T TOUCH ME!" Her eyes were wide as she pushed herself up against the door.

The man startled at the outburst but tried to speak soothingly over her screaming. "NO! NO HURTS." Her frightened eyes looked to Maura desperately. "Doctor Moora p-please." She whimpered, unable to hold her tears any longer.

The EMS man looked back at Maura and after a moment she just nodded and took the man's place. "It's okay, Callie," She said gently, holding out her arms.

After some hesitance, Callie suddenly flew into Maura's arms, wrapping her arms tight around the ME's neck, little face hiding in her chest. Her breaths were shallow and her heart was racing.

"Shhh, it's okay." Maura said softly. "I've got you. I'm not going anywhere. Everything is going to be okay, I promise." She whispered, rubbing the little girl's back soothingly. She looked to Jane who looked just as heartbroken as she felt.

"Do you want to ride with us or meet us there?" One of the EMS workers asked quietly so as not to startle the little girl.

Maura looked to Jane who stepped up beside the woman. "We'll follow. I think that's best." The detective said with a concerned look over at the little girl.

The man nodded and moved to follow his partner back to the bus.

Jane turned her attention back to Maura. "Ride in the back of the car with her and I'll drive us?"

"Okay." Maura said quietly, feeling slightly numb. She wasn't sure how this had all happened. One minute she's walking back from a crime scene in a shady part of Boston and the next she's holding a trembling child who doesn't seem to trust anyone but her.

All sorts of feelings and thoughts raced through her as she held on tightly to that little girl, unconsciously whispering words of comfort as Jane followed behind the EMS.

She'd promised this little girl she wouldn't leave, what had she gotten herself into?


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: **_*slips in* hi... I know it's been a while, but I'm not going to explain why I haven't been here because it's so much it'll just take up time. This chapter is dedicated to Mira and those who have nicely let me know that I need to get back to this. So here ya go. c:_

**Disclaimer: **I own no one except Callie & her brother and Dr. Caroline Winters (:

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**Chapter Two**

The ride to the hospital had been uneventful. Callie had clung to Maura the whole way there and despite her coaxing; she was unable to get anything out of her. When they arrived, the baby was taken up to the NICU and Callie was admitted to a room in PEDs. She needed to be examined but the little girl had yet to allow anyone to take her away from Maura's arms. Any time a nurse tried to touch her, she would hug the ME tighter and cry out.

Finally, the nurse sighed after many attempts at trying to coax and sooth the young girl. "Well, I've gotten as much verbal information as I can from you. I suppose I'll just let Dr. Winters handle it, then. She'll be with you in a moment." The woman said with a sad smile as she hung the chart on a hook on the door before she left.

Jane looked on helplessly at Maura who was jiggling slightly and rubbing Callie's back. "I'm gonna go talk to the cop who came in and call a friend of mine in Social Services." She said quietly. "Call me if you need me?" She kissed her girlfriend on the cheek and slipped out the door. Maura nodded and continued talking quietly to the little girl.

A few moments later, a gentle knock sounded before a young woman entered. She looked no older than 30, maybe a little younger but she was smiling and exuded a sense of calmness. She was tall and brunette with calm brown eyes and a set of dimples to go with her friendly smile. "Hi, my name is Dr. Winters." She said as she turned to pick up Callie's chart and go over it.

Maura tried her best to offer a smile as she introduced herself. "I'm Dr. Maura Isles, nice to meet you."

As Dr. Winter's eyes scanned Callie's chart, her smile dropped and a frown marred her pretty face. She quickly schooled her features however and put her smile back on as she looked at Callie still clinging to Maura like a lifeline. She approached Maura and looked the older woman in the eye, silently asking for approval to try and coax the little girl to open up. Maura gave a subtle nod.

"Callie," Dr. Winters started, moving behind Maura so she could try and look the little girl in the eye. "Can I talk to you? Please? I promise I won't hurt you. Do you like Dora The Explorer?" She asked, hoping to get some sort of response from the little girl.

Callie slowly removed her head from the crook of Maura's neck and looked up at Dr. Winters for the first time. Her eyes studied the doctor for a moment, taking in her white coat and the bright pink stethoscope hanging around her neck. Her right pocket held her name in blue cursive with a cute baby elephant sewn near it. Her stethoscope held a funny monkey near the end. Finally Callie nodded.

That had Dr. Winters smiling softly. "How about lollipops? I have lollipops and Dora The Explorer stickers in my pockets." She patted the her lab coat pocket and held the little girl's eye contact as Maura continued to rub her back. "I just need to make sure you're okay." She reasoned softly.

Dr. Winters watched as Callie whispered something in Maura's ear, her little arms reluctantly releasing Maura's neck as she finally leaned back.

A small smile appeared on Maura's face as she nodded. "Of course, Callie. I'm not going anywhere, and I promise I won't let anything happen to you." She said sincerely as she gently set the little girl on the bed.

Callie allowed the action but reached out for Maura's hand. Maura gently took the child's hand and held it throughout every procedure.

After almost an hour and numerous tests, Callie was dehydrated and malnourished and what was even more disturbing were some of the bruises that littered her pale little body.

Callie sat looking small in the hospital bed, a banana bag putting fluids back into her and looking a little more cleaned up but still greasy. Maura was sitting in a chair next to the bed, her fingers brushing gently against the little girl's arm as she rested her eyes.

Jane entered the hospital room quietly and took a moment to watch her girlfriend before she walked up behind her. "Hey," she started quietly, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. "How's the kid?" She asked quietly.

Maura offered Jane a sad smile and spoke softly. "Exhausted and scared and-" She sighed as she thought back to the bruises she had noticed. "She was abused, Jane… She may have to stay here for a night or two while they get her electrolytes up and catalogue her injuries. Did you talk to the cops?"

"I did. And I talked to my friend in Social Services. She's taking on the case personally as a favor to me…" Jane said, knowing full well that Maura would want to keep tabs on the children. Maura gave her a grateful smile. "She's coming in a little later to talk to us and the kid—says she has the perfect emergency foster parents and-"

Callie suddenly sat up as if she had been listening in on the whole conversation and for all Jane knew, she might have. "No!" She cried, cutting the detective off and wrapping tiny fingers around Maura's arm. "No, I stay with doctor Mauwa!" The child was on the verge of a tantrum and with everything she had been through and the lack of sleep, Jane and Maura knew that they had to act quickly lest Callie get all worked up.

Maura looked at Jane wide-eyed, conflicted, a myriad of silent questions passing between them. "Jane, can't we just-"

"Maura it takes paperwork and background checks and weeks, possibly months to become foster parents…" Jane interrupted, brown eyes looking apologetic.

Callie's grip tightened and she started to tremble. "No, no, no!" She repeated the word over and over like a mantra.

Maura's chest constricted painfully as she glanced down at the little girl and used her free hand to try and pry little fingers from their vice grip on her arm. "Jane, I promised her I would protect her and I intend to keep that promise. I'll call my lawyer and pull strings. I'll do whatever it takes. She's been through enough, moving her away from the only thing she seems to feel safe around can cause more damage to her psyche."

Before Maura could continue to rant on and spew out facts, Jane placed her hand gently on Maura's shoulder. "Okay, alright." She sighed, wondering if this had more to do with Maura already growing attached to the child. It wasn't that Jane didn't feel terrible for the little girl, of course she did—but she wasn't sure how well they would handle this. "Pull your strings and I'll—I'll pull some of my own." Jane watched as Maura let out an audible sigh of relief before smiling softly up at her.

"Thank you, Jane." Maura said, closing her eyes as Jane leaned down to press a light kiss to her girlfriend's forehead.

"I just hope we can handle this…" Jane gave Maura a gentle squeeze on her shoulder and turned to leave the room and do some string pulling of her own.

Maura watched Jane go before she turned her attention back to Callie who had tears in her eyes. "It's okay, you're coming home with Jane and I when you're better." Callie's grip finally loosened and she rubbed her eyes tiredly.

"My brover too?" The little girl asked after a moment.

Oh… Maura had almost forgotten about the tiny infant in the NICU. She visibly swallowed, knowing she had really dug herself a hole. She couldn't take the little girl and not take her brother. After a moment, Maura finally nodded. "Yes, your brother too. Now close your eyes and get some sleep, okay?"

Callie looked uncertain. What if Maura left her while she slept? She bit her lip and looked up at the doctor. "No leaving?" She finally asked.

Again Maura felt her heart constrict in her chest and emotion clog in her throat. "I promise, I'm not going anywhere." She assured, moving one hand to brush her fingertips across the tiny child's forehead. "I'll be here when you wake up." And she would. Maura didn't plan on leaving until Callie was coming home with them.

She watched as heavy lids finally closed and soon enough, Callie's breathing evened out. Another sigh escaped Maura's lips as she watched the little girl, so small and fragile. She could only wonder what Callie had gone through.

She also realized that soon, she and Jane would be taking care of this little person and her brother… The thought of it already made her anxious. She wasn't really maternal but something about this little girl kept her from really thinking logically. Maura knew Jane had only really agreed because they weren't able to fully discuss it with Callie in the room and probably to placate Maura. Still if Jane wasn't sure they could handle this than she wouldn't have agreed, right?

Perhaps Jane didn't possess the ability to say no to those sad little eyes as much as Maura. Either way, they were in for a lot. Maura took one last look at the little girl before she stood up and walked toward her purse to get her phone. She needed to start preparing and talk to her lawyer.

Re-taking her seat, phone in hand, she began to type up an email, pausing to think what she was getting her and Jane into.

They could do this, couldn't they?


End file.
